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Lethbridge’s Urban Drilling Problem Just Got Worse

No Drilling Lethbridge has obtained documents from Alberta Energy detailing the extent of Goldenkey Oil Inc’s mineral rights license under the city of Lethbridge. These documents include the legal land description of the area that the Alberta government has licensed to this foreign owned oil company. It is now known that Goldenkey Oil Inc. has licensed the mineral rights for 23 square km (8.9 square miles) within Lethbridge city limits, underneath about 4000 homes where more than 10,000 people live.

No Drilling Lethbridge is opposed to a proposal by Goldenkey Oil Inc. to drill three exploratory wells in west Lethbridge due to concerns about risks such as; up to 16% drop in real estate values, future development and land sterilization, westside evacuation, water, air, noise and light pollution, transportation of dangerous goods and increased truck traffic, water contamination and fluid disposal, sour gas and flaring.

If these three wells are approved and show productivity, Goldenkey Oil Inc. will be in a position to expand the project and increase the risks to our community with many more wells, associated pipelines, and processing and storage facilities.

“Stopping this project now is crucial,” says Laurie Chinn, a parent, teacher, and volunteer with No Drilling Lethbridge. “The three exploratory wells that were presented by Goldenkey Oil have the potential to multiply across 23 square kilometers of our city.”

Lethbridge City Council, Lethbridge School District No.51 Board of Trustees, and the Holy Spirit Catholic School Board have all publicly expressed their opposition to Goldenkey Oil’s proposal to drill. Over 3000 residents have signed a petition against urban drilling In Lethbridge. Despite the magnitude of opposition in our community, the final decision on whether or not this urban drilling project will proceed rests with the Alberta Energy Regulator. No Drilling Lethbridge is encouraging all residents of Lethbridge to write to their MLA’s, sign our petition, and file a Statement of Concern with the Alberta Energy Regulator.

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About the Author

We are a small volunteer group of Lethbridge residents working to protect the health and safety of the people in Lethbridge, by being opposed to oil drilling and fracking within OUR city limits. We believe that the risks for Lethbridge greatly outweigh the benefit of acquiring the natural resource. We are not opposed to oil and gas exploration, generally. We are concerned about the negative impacts on OUR city and its residents if oil and gas drilling is allowed inside OUR city limits.